Garter snakes are only mildly venomous, and even if they bite you they don't produce enough to harm a human. But they are very effective predators, eating slugs, insects, worms, frogs, minnows, and even rodents if the snake is large enough, all of which (except the worms, minnows and frogs) are generally bad for your garden. They have very distinctive markings- three yellow stripes run their length on a dark or black background. Garter snakes give birth to live young, unlike most reptiles. Adults can range in size from 45cm (18") to over a meter (over 45") at the very top end (but that would be a rare one, and probably wouldn't find enough food to stay in your back garden).
All they need is a quiet, undisturbed place to hide, and a source of ground-level water relatively nearby. A small log pile can be the habitat for many kinds of creatures, including snakes. If you trap them they will try to bite you, and they give off an unpleasant odour as a deterrent. Hawks, crows and raccoons are their major predators.
In the wild they live in woodlands, fields, and grasslands... as well as your lawn, and different subspecies (some of which can be quite colourful) can be found all over North America.
https://patch.com/new-york/kingspark/bp--a-snake-may-be-a-gardners-best-friend
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garter_snake
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/attracting-snakes-to-gardens.htm
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